From the Field: Innovative Cash Transfers Restore Hope and Dignity in Kenya

action against hunger

Informed by the results of our field
assessments, and in collaboration with
the local population, we implement
programs that help families access food
of a sufficient quantity and quality.
Our programs include the distribution
of agricultural inputs like seeds and
tools; training in small business
management and farming techniques;
livelihood diversification activities; and
support for community-led initiatives
to manage natural resources, reduce
the risk of disasters, and implement
early warning systems. And just
as we begin by conducting needs
assessments, our work is not finished
until we measure the impact of these
programs on local communities.
Though the activities vary widely, our
interventions all share a common goal:
to fight hunger by improving food
security and strengthening livelihoods
in a sustainable manner. n

There is no “one size fits all” strategy for helping communities rebuild their livelihoods after a crisis, and our response to
Kenya’s political turmoil was no exception. The city of Nakuru had
been particularly affected by the 2007 post-election violence that
tore through Kenya, displacing populations along ethnic lines,
disrupting livelihoods, destroying homes, and forcing families into
makeshift camps.
Our initial assessment called for cash-based interventions to support small businesses of those displaced by the conflict, but Nakuru’s diverse, urban environment presented certain challenges.
Given the context, we devised an innovative program that enlisted a local bank to set up formal accounts for the recipients of
cash grants. The project targeted heads of households who were
single parents, elderly, disabled, chronically ill, or who had a
family member in an emergency nutrition program. Through the
program, 1,000 households received cash grants of $130 each,
distributed in two installments. Over 80% of the participants were
households headed by women, and all were required to attend
financial management training sessions.
Beneficiaries of the program used these grants for a range of
short-term needs and long-term investments, from farming
inputs to rehabilitating micro-enterprises. For example, one
group of women formed a cooperative by pooling its money to buy
motorized spinning wheels and raw wool. Despite a very modest outlay, this well-timed program helped restore independence
quickly for some 1,000 families whose very livelihoods had been
jeopardized by the outburst of political violence.